Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1887-02-23
The Earspsan ss.agSis.


Human foresight cannot foreteIl the
events OF tho nsxt SIX months In Ea-
Hope. Every iRdi ostion. poinrs 70 var
and II may break ont Ut almost any
day between Ger many and Franco
Unless extremely wise oounsels prevail,
before another year rolls around Cor
many and France, and perhaps othen
portions Of Europe will b drenched In
blood. What 10 the true situsAion7 II
seems 10 BE- agreed upon all banda that
France and Germany must open the
bloody ball. Looking ct them from
chs Tar Oh standpoint, there II nothing
IN the altitude Of either upon which to
base hopes Of pesos. There 10 no dis
gaisiDg the fact that al the frontier
cities and forsresses OF France are being
put into tho highest possible condition
Of defense. Work 10 carried on BY
night - veil - BY day. Veteran
troops are being Withdrawn nom Africa
for service At homo. Vast amounts Of
grain and other stores are accumulated
IN the fortified places and finally
France does not conceal her desire 70
eetske her lost provinces at the drst
favorable opportunity. For period Of
sixteen years abe has steadily carried
on the work Of preparation. With the
largest and best equipped army she has
ever had, and the enthusiAsm Of her
people thoroughly aroused, she feels
that II the time for revenge 10 ever to
come It 10 nov Ut hand. This 10 the
situation in France to-day. She II NO
more hAmpered with IN incompetent
Emperor, nofare there traitors Amongst
the commanders Of her armies. Since
she hss been . Republic she has become
. giant In strength. But how does 1t
look ON the other side Of the Rhine?
Here the circumstances are nos dis
similar TO those that mark the move
ments Of France. Germany must have
known ever since she annexed the fair
territories of Alsscs and Lorraine that
she must retain them by the sword. II
was an ungenerous act that severed
them from the country OF which they
had formed an integral part for several
centuries. 1t has already cost her
dearly and the price her people are now
paying In the crushing military they
must maintain renders her acquisition
almost costly one. She, too, 10 COM
PEELED to do % France is doing. More
soldiers and stronger FORTH cations and
now loans are she all important issues
shat Agitste hee people. She knows
that this time she will not meet . cor.
rupt government and IN army unfit TO
take the Held.
But aside from these two oontsn ling
countries there are others which play
. most important part In the coming
fray. Far to the cast stands Russia In
m attitude at once defiant and waiting
She cares little for the quarrel bet weer
France and Germany except 90 far O
IL may further her own purposes. Onl,
the united attitude of these and th,
o hsr nations Of Europe has prevented
: the realisation Of her hopes In the BAlk
uns. For more than Q year rumor ha
sSoken Of IN alliance between her sat
FfAnoa Not that she cares for tn
later. but should that power becom,
involved In . war with Germany, tn
latter would b. in no condition b
ShwArt RussiA's progress south ward
Every one believes she Is playing ,
waiting game. The further aggrAn
dlzement Of Germany may even men.
500 her own integrity. She may, per
haps, take occasion to prevent the hu
initiation Of France should that even
aem likely.
A veil Of mystery hangs over tn
whole country, and nobody can tel
where the end will be. The war wi
be one that will innure to the prosperit
OF this country. 1t will open up
market for oar grain. our horses, on
guns and our powder. Bus not eve
for this advantage should American
desire to see Europe arrsyed in Sal
culinary conflict. Rather should v
desire TO see the white winged dove
peace hover DER the land as . sig
that peace has prevailed over war.